Where is Mark?

 

Fritz wondering Where is Mark?

 On Sunday I had a serious accident at work.  While working on our last flight of the shift I was getting down from a belt loader when my feet slipped on the sand and I went straight down backwards.  I must have blacked out since there were a lot of people around me who are usually not on the ramp.  I was dizzy and light headed and my back and neck were very sore and very disoriented.   I was driven to a major Boston hospital's emergency room and checked out.  After looking me over they said I was good to go.  I was surprised they did no X-Ray.  I went home still feeling dizzy and light headed and tired and sore.  Next mornings Janine called my primary doctor to be checked out as I still did not feel well.  I went there in the afternoon thinking there might be something wrong with my back.  The doctor took one look at my eyes, which had dark rings around them like a raccoon and sent me to get a Cat Scan as well as some X-Ray.

  The results are my back will be fine and no damage.   But I have a concussion and a skull fracture.  I must have hit my head on the ramp.  There is no bleeding which is really good. I am scheduled for follow up exams and to see a neurosurgeon.  Its not good, but it could be a lot worse.

I am not sure what the next four to eight weeks (recovery time) will be like.  I am tired and am resting and sleeping a lot.  While I can read I am told not to do so for long periods.  Like thirty minutes at a time.  Definitely no major physical activity.   I have more of a pressure at times in my head, sometimes a dullness.  And its a major effort to do anything.  This post took a couple days to write.  The picture above is our Yorkie Fritz.  While I was in the emergency room (it was many hours)  he kept going to the stairs looking for me to come home.  This is where he great me when I come home.

   I may not be posting regularly, or answering any replies in a timely manner.  In fact my blogging over the next month will be irregular.   I will post when I can.  I am still here but a bit preoccupied.

Visitors in my yard

 

  Its winter in the north east and not much happening g outside.  Most people and creatures are snuggled inside where its warm.  But imagine my surprise when I looked outside and saw these creatures.

There are four of these dear that are in the woods around our neighborhood.  I usually see them in the early morning (3:00 A.M.) on the way to work.  But as of late we are seeing them in the day light. In the summer and fall we have a flock of turkeys.  And there is a fox but I have get to get A picture.  Some of the neighbors have mentioned a bear  but I have yet to see it outside pictures.

UPDATE:

For those interested in the Bear I mentioned here is a news clip I found on Youtube.  No, it not in my back yard but at least you get to see the fellow!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vxBbrRO3piA

Pub Battles Germantown

 

  Its a funny thing how something sparks your interest and you are off to a new quest.  When I ordered this game I did so because I wanted to pick up the three American Revolution games from Command Post.  Brandywine has always fascinated me.  I gave read almost everything out there on it and toured the battlefield a number if times.  Monmouth is confused but fascinating and again I have toured the battlefield multiple times.  But Germatown? Germantown is one of those battles you have heard of but really do not know much about it.  The stand of the 40th regiment in the Chew house, the mix ups in the fog and the usual comment of a almost victory for Washington.  So,  after playing both Monmouth and Brandywine multiple time I set up Germantown.

  The map is big;  its 28" x 24".  Compare that to the map for Monmouth at 8.5" x 16" or Brandywine at 24" x 17".  You use most of the blocks that come with the Brandywine game.  But its situation and how the game is organized that caught my attention.  

British set up.  Note detachments screening the British encampment.

  The British, under Sir William Howe set up first.  They were historically encamped near Germantown.  Detachments are located in the direction of the American army as outlying pickets.  General Knyphausen and Cornwallis are out of the picture and both arrive as reinforcements.  

  The American Army under Washington is organized into five columns.  There are three Continental army commands (Washington, Greene and Sullivan) and two Militia commands (Armstrong and Smallwood).  These enter the board along the northern edge where there are six roads.  You pick which commands enter in which roads.  Historically Washington was planning a complicated operation similar to Trenton and hopefully knock Howe's army out of Philadelphia.  

Start of the game.  Americans enter board marked only by command blocks.

What troops are with them?

  But the night march towards the British got off to a rocky start, and a fog limited what you could see.  Two American columns got lost in the fog and were late.  The fog also effected the British who could not tell what was out there.  Visibility is limited in the game to one third of a infantry move.  When the Americans enter the board the only counter you see if the command counter.  The troops with them remain hidden off table until within visibility range.  For the British its a guessing game right away.  Who is out there?  Militia or Continental?  Is it a column made up of regular infantry or detachments?  You will not know until you commit your forces.  

In addition before the game starts two command chips are picked from the American commands and not put into the cup.  These represent the two commands that got lost! Because of this Germantown makes a great solo game.  Playing as the British you do not know what is out there advancing against you until you attack.  Since the two armies are almost identical in size thus makes the fights more even and unpredictable.  

I have now played the game multiple times.  Each game was fast and unpredictable.  Sometimes the British sent the rebels fleeing;  other times the Americans broke through and beat the British.  I have also started to read about the actual battle picking up a couple of books.  This has become one of my favorite games.  I bought it as an afterthought and it certainly surprised me.  Highly recommended!

 

Kriegsspiel Brandywine game

 

 I bought the battalion version of Brandywine called the Kriegsspiel version.  The map is twice as big and they use smaller blocks representing regiments rather then brigades.  You can play this using the Prussian Army 19th century Kriegsspiel rules, or the battalion level Pub Battles rules.  

I am unclear of some of the actual differences in rules interpretation.  I have written to the company and asked about how certain rules actually work.  Once I am better informed I will be write up of a game and how it is different from the Brigade level game.

Until then here is some eye candy of the new maps and counters.

Pub Battles Brandywine

 

  Next in my reviews of the Pub Battles games by Command Post is the Battle of Brandywine 1777.  This was one of the larger battles fought during the war.  Washington was attempting to stop Sir William Howe's advance on Philadelphia.  He deployed the Continental army along the Brandywine river in a very good defensive position.  But Howe out flanked that position and defeated Washington.  

  In setting up the game General Knyphausen's command sets up first south of the Brandywine river.  Next, the three American commands under Washington, Greene and Sullivan set up north of the Brandywine river.  In setting up a defense position the American command has to take into account the second British command under Howe and Cornwallis can enter the game on the south, East or West side of the game map!  Victory conditions are for the British to destroy the American forces and open a line to Philadelphia.  While the Americans would like to break the British they must protect their army and keep it intact.  Now onto our game!

The American Army in three divisions.

  Washington's army is divided into three commands.  One under himself, and two other under Sullivan and Greene.  They get one elite command (Maxwell's light unfantry) and a militia unit.  The militia takes double the first hit so they are brittle.  

The British Army in two wings.

  The British under Sir William Howe have two commands under Knyphausen and Cornwallis.  Most are regulars, but there are a good number of elite commands.  These have the advantage of ignoring the first hit.  A big advantage.  In addition the British have two artillery stands to the American one stand.

My set up and first turn.

  In setting up the commands for the game I referred to the historical set up.  Knyphausen deployed to threaten the various fords over the Brandywine river.  I put detachments by some fords to stretch out the American commands.  My artillery i.placed on a hill overlooking Chad's ford for future bombardment.  The Americans deployed Washington's command around Chad's ford and Sullivan's command further west.  Greene deployed along  the main road to be able to reinforce anywhere on the board the British might come in.  Howe and Cornwallis marched onto the table as they did historically to turn the American flank.    Now onto the game!

Cornwallis pushes through the center of Sullivan's lines.  Greene tries to firm a defense in the north.  Knyphausen starts his breakthrough.

The Americans pulling back to fight another day.

So, how did the game play out?  It ended as a big British victory.  The Howe/Cornwallis wing was able to sweep all before it. Sullivan and Greene were nit able to scramble back and form a defensive line quick enough.   The Knyphausen wing had a much more difficult time.  Attacking across a river ford gives the other side a plus two on their die rolls the first round and plus one the second.  To get across you gave to pound the enemy with your artillery to disorder them then charge across.  In other words use historical tactics.

  The entire battle, after set up took a little under an hour to play.  It was fast, and very entertaining.  The advantage of a game like this is to explore "what ifs." One that has long interested me is if Washington attacked Knyphausen with his main army before Cornwallis finished his flank march.  Or fight out Knyphausen's march towards the Brandywine and the American delaying action.  How about if Washington was warned about the flank march and redeployed his army better.  All are possible with a game such as this.  Its also possible to use the game to generate a table top battle with your miniatures.

So, another fun and enjoyable game.  Simple to pkay.  Easy to set up and not time consuming.  Endless possibilities for play and each game very different.  Highly recommended, and looking forward to playing Germantown next.